


The Magic Man's Face

by HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda



Series: Life and Love in Ablebrook [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24720682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda/pseuds/HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda
Summary: Andrew Taylor is a fool. In a single day, it was as if he'd been speared right through the heart at just the sight of this man's face.Mustafa Bardakçi is a strategist. In a single day, it was as if he'd caught sight of the highest peak; and he alone was determined to reach it.
Series: Life and Love in Ablebrook [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787329
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	The Magic Man's Face

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite/extension of a short story I wrote a few years ago: Andrew Taylor is in Love. I might post that sometime, but I really love these two goofballs.
> 
> I don't know if I'd actually make this one into a whole novel, but I'll always find a space for these characters in the universe.

Ablebrook was… beautiful. There was something about the urban sprawl that brought a sort of comfort to mind. The way winter started to fall early over the city always made Andrew feel cozy from his apartment. He leaned on the windowsill, shivering as his arms touched the cold glass and narrowing his eyes toward the park. A little congregation was gathered near the westernmost gate, apparently observing someone wearing bright green. Andrew leaned back to check the clock. It seemed a bit early for something like that.

This was the first time, and Andrew Taylor didn’t pay it any mind.

He had no documents to place into this briefcase yet, nor was he positive it was even necessary. It was his first day out of orientation for this new job: his first in actual accounting, and he felt as though he was being paranoid.

Because of course he was. No kinds of fear all of last week, but with no training wheels, of course it was time to begin flailing.

He hushed himself and went to the door to slip on his shoes, pulling his keys off the hook before putting on his coat and scarf. The walk would be a bit long, but it was more than doable, especially for someone lacking a car.

By the time he’d made it to the park to cut across it, he noticed that the little group was gone. Andrew waved casually to some kids that ran past him to where two school buses stopped outside the gate, and he checked his watch before approaching the leftmost vending machine filled with supposedly warm snacks. He chuckled as he had to brush snow off of the glass to look inside, and he kept his watch in his peripheral as he glanced over the selection.

“Hey…” A voice called behind him, sounding a bit hesitant to get his attention. “Hey, ‘scuse me?”

“Hm? What’s u--?” Andrew murmured, looking up from his watch to face—

Oh…no.

A young man stood behind him in a bright, almost neon, green hat and cape over his darker green sweater and similar slacks. He had light brown skin, though his face was patched with blotches of off-white that he must have caught Andrew staring at, because he brought a gloved hand up to rest on the brim of his hat.

“I was wondering if you had an extra dollar on you…” He said softly, his eyes cast away from Andrew’s. “Something’s wrong with the other machine.” His other hand was clutching some quarters nervously, and Andrew was still a staring fool for a moment before he processed what he was saying.

“Y-Yeah, actually… S-Sorry.” He stammered, managing to take his eyes away to pull out his wallet. The time he spent searching for three dollar bills, probably less than a minute at most, was apparently enough time for his brain to start screaming.

This guy was absolutely beautiful. When Andrew had apologized, the man glanced up slightly, offering a somewhat shy smile as he stood patiently; and with his costume, he was just plain adorable. Andrew was actually surprised that someone could pull off such a shade of green.

He realized too late that he was staring again, but there must have been something different about his face, because the man was smiling brighter instead of shrinking away. Andrew’s cheeks felt hot, and he found himself cringing as he started to hand over the money.

“Thank you!” The magician said happily, taking the bills politely; Andrew flinched as the man’s gloves cupped the back of his hand, managing to keep it from being noticeable as the quarters were set into his palm. He ran his thumb over them for a moment, staring at them blankly.

“--familiar.”

His flinch was obvious now as he realized the magician had said something. “What? I-I’m sorry.”

He was lit up now, golden eyes cheerful as an aura of warmth seemed to fend the winter around him. “I said you seem a bit familiar.” He said with a hint of a giggle, twisting the cap off of the container he’d just purchased. “I admit I’m not the best with faces. If you come a little earlier tomorrow, you could catch my show. I mean, if you’d like; I know it’s early, and I’m mostly here to pass the time, but...”

“I’ll...think about it.” Andrew said as carefully as he could. He never claimed to be the type to get up earlier than necessary, but there was no way that he could stay away from this magician’s light.

The magician smiled as he turned away, waving casually as he went back to where a bag was left on the ground. Andrew felt the weight move from his shoulders, and his legs moved without his mind toward his new workplace.

He was suddenly in no condition to work, and when he was shaking hands with his new supervisor, he desperately tried to convince his brain to shut itself up. His supervisor just smiled curiously, saying something he barely processed about him not needing to be nervous.


End file.
